Self-closing umbrellas



Oct. 10, 1961 F. BREMSHEY SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS 4 Sheeizs-Sheei'l 1 Filed July 5, 1957 Im/anto MMT/2f" MW A E ATH.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1957 .Zr/venian' Oct. 10, 1961 F. BREMsl-u-:Y

SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 3, 1957 Oct. 10, 1961 F, BREMsl-IEY SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS Filed July 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Zr/venan United States Patent O 3,003,508 SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS Fritz Bremshey, Solingen-Uhligs, Germany, assignor to Bremshey & Co., Solingen-Obligs, Germany Filed July 3, 1957, Ser. No. 669,870 Claims priority, application Germany July 11, 1956 Claims. (Cl. 13S-23) This invention relates to self-closing umbrellas and more particularly to umbrellas of the type in which at least one spring is set under tension when the umbrella is opened by human force, and is then held under tension by a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism being releasable manually. Closing of the umbrella is then effected by releasing the lock mechanism, whereupon the force of the spring will `automatically close the roof.

It is often found that in umbrellas of the type referred to the opening of the roof requires considerable fo-rce and is therefore felt to be inconvenient. Also, many users of umbrellas will sometimes prefer to handle an umbrella in the conventional way, that is by moving a runner or sleeve up or down the stick. For these reasons, self-closing umbrellas have heretofore been of limited use only.

It is an object of my invention to provide means permitting the user to open the umbrella in -a manner which will be found more convenient than the manner in which self-closing umbrellas had to be opened heretofore.

It is another object of my invention to provide means permitting the ruser of the umbrella to eect opening by placing the tip of the stick against some object, for example the pavement or the door, and then telescoping the stick, thereby setting the spring or springs under tension, while the closing of the umbrella may thereupon be eected by releasing a lock mechanism.

It is a further object of my invention to provide means by which it is possible to open and close the umbrella in a way in which only one hand is required for these operations.

' It is a still further object of my invention to provide means permitting the user of a self-closing umbrella to open and close the umbrella in the conventional way, that is by operating a sleeve or runner manually, this sleeve or runner being movable longitudinally on the stick.

' Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments of my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic view of an umbrella representing a rst embodiment of my invention, showing the umbrella closed;

lFIG. 2 is a diagrammatic 'View of the umbrella illus trated in FIG. l, showing the position of the parts after opening the cover by placing the tip of the umbrella on the ground and pressing the handle downwards;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the umbrella illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the position of the parts after opening the umbrella in the same way as an ordinary umbrella is opened;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section along the line IV-IV of FIG.V2;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section along the line V in FIG. Z;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section along the line VI in FIG. 2;

IFIG. 7 is a longitudinal section along the line VII in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section along the line VIII in FIG. 3;

l FIG. 9 is a cross-section on the line lX-IX in FIG. 2;

3,003,508 Patented Get. 10, 1961 ICC FIG. l0 is a longitudinal section, similar to FIG. 5, through a modification;

FIG. ll is a diagrammatic View similar to FIG. 3 of an umbrella representing a second embodiment of my invention;

FIG. l2 is a cross-section along the line XII-XII in FIG. l1;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal section on the center portion of the stick of the umbrella shown in FIG. l1;

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal section, simil-ar to FIG. 5, of the lower portion of the stick of the umbrella shown in FIG. ll; and

FIG. l5 is a modiii-cation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. ll to 14, showing the upper of the umbrella with roof open.

As shown in the drawing and in particular in FIGS. 1 to 3, the umbrella stick consists of two tubular parts -20 and Z1 which are telescopically insertabtle one within the other, these parts being best seen from FIG. 3, Part 20 carries a crown 22 to which the ribs 23 are hinged or pivoted. A helical spring 24 FIGS. 4 and 8 is disposed in the interior of the tubular part 2.0; this spring extends up to the tip 25 of the stick is supported at one end by `an end face 26 of the tip and at the other end by means of `a plate 27 -fixed to the end of a rod 2S. Rod 2-8 extends through the interior of the stick nearly down to the handle 29 and is fixed at its lower end by a transverse pin 30 (FIG. 5). Spring 26 when compressed as shown in FIG. 4 tends to push apart the stick parts 2.0 and 21. It is prevented from doing so, however, as long as the stick parts, after being telescoped, are locked by a locking pawl 31 as shown in FIG. 5. Pawl 31, being pivoted at 32 and acted upon by `a leaf spring 33, has a catch 34 which engages an opening 35 in stick part 20. The pawl 31 also has a button 36 iiXed to it which when pressed disengages catch 34, thus releasing the stick parts 20 and Z1. The spring 24 then comes into action and pushes the stick parts 20' and 2l apart. As shown in FIG. 9, the rod 28I is offset from the axis of the stick; the rod is formed near its lower end with a longitudinal slot 67 which provides a passage for the pin 32 of the pawl 31.

A runner or sleeve 38 is longitudinally displaceable on the stick. Struts 40 are hinged or pivoted at 39 to the sleeve 38 and are connected by hinges or pivots y4I to the ribs 23 to serve for opening and supporting the cover in the usual manner, the cover not being shown for simplicity. Sleeve 28 carries a locking pawl 42 which is pivoted at 41 and is provided with .a button 43 and a catch portion 44. When the umbrella is closed, catch 44 engages an opening `45 in sleeve 38 and enters into an opening 46 in the Wall of stick part 21. A coil spring 47 (FIG. 6) tends to hold pawl 4Z in the locked position. In the wall of the stick part 21 there is provided a further opening 48 for the catch 44, as shown in FIG. 8. Catch 44 engages this opening when the umbrella is in the spread position shown in FIG. 3.

When the umbrella is in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, spring 24 is under comparatively low stress and the stick parts 20 and 21 are drawn apart, the stick thus being extended. Catch 34 is out of action and catch 44 is lockingin relationship with sleeve 3S by engaging the opening 46, as shown in FIGS. l and 6. If the umbrella is to be opened with one hand, the tip 25' may be placed on`a firm support, for example on the ground, and the umbrella handle 29 is pressed down. The stick parts 20 and 21 are thereby telescoped, the spring 2.4

being compressed and the cover being opened, until catch 34 engages the opening 3S of stick part 20 and the umbrella is in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and A 5. During this operation, catch 44 is continuously in engagement with the opening 46, so that sleeve 38 remains coupled to stick part 21. If the umbrella, when open as shown in FIG. 2, is to be closed, the button 36 in pressed. The lock between the stick parts 20 and 21 is thereby put out of action and the umbrella, by the action of the force of the expanding spring 24, is automatically returned to the position shown in FIG. l.

If it is found that in certain circumstances it is inconvenient to open the umbrella in the above-described manner, then, in order to open the umbrella, pawl 42 is released by pressing button 43 and the sleeve 38 is then moved manually along the stick towards crown 22 until catch engages the opening 48 (FIGS.v 3, 7 andv 8).

ie relative position of the stick parts 20 and 21 then remains unchanged. After the umbrella hasY been opened in this way, it may be closed again by releasing pawl 42 and bringing the sleeve 38 again into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. However, the umbrella after having being opened may instead be prepared for automatic closing by one hand just by placing tip 25 on the ground and telescoping the stick, spring 24 being compressed thereby, without lirst actuating pawl 42 so that the inverted sleeve 38 is moved downwardly along with outer tubular part 21 along inner tubular part 20. The umbrella is thereby brought directly from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 2, the cover remaining open.

Stick parts 20 and 21 are prevented from relative rotation. For this purpose, longitudinal and interengaging ribs 49 and 5t) in parts 20 and 21 may be provided, as shown in FIG. 9. Sleeve 38 can similarly be prevented from rotation, in order to ensure that the catch 34 engages the openings 46 yand 48, although it has little tendency to rotate about the stick axis, being rather firmly held in position by 'the struts 40. Therefore, no rotation preventing means have been shown in the drawing.

The locking devices 34 and 44 provided in the umbrella shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 may be combined into a single locking device which performs the functions of both, as shown in FIG. 10. In this arrangement a locking pawl 52 is pivoted on sleeve 38 at 52 and, when the umbrella is in the open position shown in FIG. 2, its catch 53 engages an opening 54 in the sleeve 38 and an opening 55 in stick part 21 as well as in an opening 56 in stick part 21 and then locks all three parts 20, 21 and 38 relatively to each other.

When the projecting tip of pawl 52 is pressed inwardly, stick part 20 is rst released and pushed out of stick part 21 by the spring 24, so that the umbrella is brought into the position shown in FIG. 1. For opening the umbrella without placing the tip 25 on the ground, sleeve 38 is released by further depressing the Itip of pawl 52 and moved towards the crown. When the umbrella is opened by placing the tip on the ground and pressing the handle downwards, the spring-biased catch 53 is pressed back towards the end of the movement of the stick part 20 until it snaps into the opening 56.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, the coil spring 24 utilized in the embodiments described above is replaced by a spring assembly located outside the stick. The stick of the umbrella shown in FIG. l1 consists of two tubular parts 60 and 61, inner part 60 being shown in dotted lines in FIG. 11 and sectioned in FIG. 13. Parts 60 and 61 may be telescoped in the same manner as parts 20 and 21 in the umbrella according to FIGS. l to l0. A crown 62 is fixed to the projecting upper end of part 60, ribs 63 being pivoted to the crown in the. usual way. A tip 64 fixed to part 60 extends beyond the crown 62. Tubular part 61 carries a handle 65.

A sleeve 66 is slidably mounted on the stick and is connected to each of the ribs 63 by means of struts 67, these struts being pivoted individually to the sleeve 66 at points designated 69. In contradistinction to the struts 40 in FIG. 1 the struts 67 are not just simple, rods, as will be described later.

As seen from FIG. 14, the interior of the lower section of stick part 61 resembles that of stick part 21, shown in FIG. 5, except that the parts designated 28 and 30 are missing. Also, while in FIG. 5 sleeve 33 is shown to carry a pawl 42 engaging openings 45 and 46, no such means are necessary in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 15. However, there is provided a locking pawl 70, pivoted at '71 and acted upon by a leaf spring 72, which has a catch 73 engaging an opening 74 and projecting into an opening 75 just as in FIG. 5,r the opening 74 being provided in the stick part 60 and the opening 75 being provided in the lower stick part 61. Pawl 70 also has a release knob 76 projecting through an opening in lower stick part 61. Hence, if it is assumed that the umbrella has been opened in the manner described above by telescoping the stick until part 60 is locked in position with reference to part 61 by the catch 73 of pawl 70, pressing knob 76 would cause the umbrella to close automatically if there existed be a spring force tending to de-telescope parts 60 and 61.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. l1 to l5, the struts 67 pivotally connecting the ribs 63 to the sleeve 60 are designed to act as springs. A brief description will sufce here, struts of the kind to be described now being well known to those skilled in the art.

As seen from FIG. 12, where the parts are shown in the position they assume when the umbrella is open, the umbrella is equipped with a total of eight ribs; there are provided a total number of sixteen leaf springs 77 and 78, springs 77 differing from springs 78 only with respect to their arrangement and being otherwise identical therewith. Each two adjacent springs 77, 78 form a pair representing one of the struts 67. The leaf springs 77, 7S are just at pieces of steel of rectangular cross section, the longer sides of the rectangle lying approximately at right angles to the plane of the paper in FIG. 12.

Clamps 79 are provided for interconnecting the springs 77, 78 of each pair and thus assuring that the springs run parallel to each other from the respective pivot 69 on sleeve 66 to the point where the clamp 79 is xed to them. Note that the pivots 69 are offset angularly from the ribs 63 and that the inner section of each leaf-spring pair extends along a line bisecting the angle formed by the two adjacent ribs. Now, if the umbrella is open, the springs 77, 78 of each pair separate from each other where they project from their clamp 79, spring 77 being hinged to one and spring 78 being connected to the other of the two ribs 63 adjacent to the pair. It is, however, only the center portion of lthe springs which is curved in the aforementioned manner. By virtue of further clamps 80, one of them connecting spring 77 of one pair t0 spring 78' of one adjacent pair and another connecting spring 78 of that same pair to spring 77 of the other adjacent pair, the outer portions of the springs run again parallel to each other from the clamp 80 to the pivot 68.

It will thus be clear that the springs 77, 78, 77', 78 etc., all having the tendency to straighten themselves out, when the umbrella is opened, will tend to close the umbrella, since they -becotne straight only in the position they assume when the roof is closed. In other words, the springs just act somewhat similarly to struts having` the tendency to increase the distance between the pivots 69 and 68. It should be mentioned, however, that the particular spring characteristics of the contractile leafspring assembly just described has the advantage that, on the one hand, the umbrella is closed rather smoothly whereas, on the other hand, the roof is held closed safely, the ribs showing negligible tendency to spread apart when the umbrella is closed.

It is thus seen that spring struts of the type described are a means for automatically closing the umbrella, which is basically equivalent to the spring 24 utilized in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l to 10. However, the stick assembly is considerably simpliled lif the spring assembly is placed outside the stick, and it is, for eX- ample, thus possible to replace the pawl 42 shown in FIG. 5 by a locking means of simpler design ibut not less eiective.

In the first place, there is no'need to lock the sleeve 66 in its lower position, when the umbrella is closed, because the spring struts 67 will always tend to hold the sleeve 66 in its lowermost position. Of course, if the umbrella hasl been opened by shifting sleeve 66, it will be necessary to provide some kind of spring catch holding the sleeve in its uppermost position. A type of spring catch suitable for an umbrella shown in FIG. l1 is illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 shows an enlarged sectional view of the stick when extended, with sleeve 66 in its upper position, the umbrella thus having been opened in the conventional way without telescoping the stick. A spring 81, stamped from ilat sheet steel, is disposed in the upper stick part 60 close to its lower end, spring 81 being prevented from longitudinal displacement by a stud 82 projecting into a hole 83 in part 6i). The spring 81 has a catch 84 which, in the position shown in FIG. 13, projects through slots 85 and 86 in the walls of tubular stick parts 60 and 61. Catch 84 has an-upper edge 87 running at right angles t the stick axis and forming a'face suitable for supporting the lower edge of the sleeve 66, as shown. Catch 84 also has a rounded side face 88 projecting radially beyond the radius of sleeve V66 to an extent slightly exceeding the wall thickness of the lower and outer telescope member or stick part 61.

When the umbrella is to be closed, catch 84 is depressed by hand so that the upper edge 87 releases the lower edge of the sleeve 66, the latter then moving down the stick and the roof `being closed. Sleeve 66 now keeps Spring 81 in a position in which its rounded edge 88 contacts the inner surface of the sleeve 66. Owing to the dimensioning of the rounded edge 88, as speciiied above, catch 84 from now on will not prevent lower stick part 61 from moving up with reference to upper stick part 60. In fact, the catch 88 will then be moved further inward to an extent equaling the thickness of the wall of the outer stick part 61. Consequently, the umbrella, after having `been closed by releasing spring 81 and letting sleeve 66 move down the stick, may be opened by telescoping parts 60 and 61 in the manner described above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 10. It may thereupon be closed automatically by pressing knob 76 and thereby releasing the outer stick part 61. However, the umbrella, having been closed either in the way just mentioned or by releasing spring 81 in the way explained above, may also be opened again by shifting sleeve 66 towards crown 62 until catch 84 of spring 81 locks, all parts then again being in the position shown in FIG. 13.

The spring mechanism shown in FIGS. l1 to 14 is not the only feasible way of providing spring action by means of a spring o-r springs disposed outside the stick. The form of spring mechanism shown in FIG. 15 may for example be used instead. It is to be understood that in the umbrella shown in FIG. l5 most of the parts are the same as in that shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, sleeve 89 corresponding to sleeve 66, crown 90 corresponding to crown 62, ribs 91 corresponding to ribs 63 and pivots 92 and 93 corresponding to pivots 68 and 69 in FIG. l1. Also, all those parts of the umbrella which are not shown in FIG. l5 are identical with the corresponding parts in FIGS. 11 to 14. The only difference between the umbrella illustrated in FIGS. 1l -to 14 and the modiiication shown in FIG. 15 lies in the fact that the struts 94 connecting pivots 92 and 93 are simple rods, and that contractile coil springs 95 are provided, these springs being pivotally connected to the struts 94 and the ribs 91 at points 96 and 97 respectively, points 96 being located on the struts 94 between the pivots 92 and 93, and pivots 97 being located on the ribs beyond and at some distance from the pivots 92.

It will clear without further explanation that, when the umbrella is open, the coil springs will tend to close the roof if sleeve 89 is allowed to move down the stick. Obviously, if springs of suflicient strength are provided, it will be possible to make the total number of springs less than the total number of ribs, the theoretical minimum being one spring connected -to one of the struts and the respective rib, `with all the other struts and ribs being left without springs. However, for reasons of symmetry, it will be preferable to provide at least two springs at opposite struts and ribs. Also, if the number of springs is increased, the springs should preferably be distributed uniformly; for example, if the total number of ribs is even, every second strut and rib should be equipped with a spring.

What I claim is:

l. A frame for an umbrella of the self-closing type, comprising three substantially coextensive elongated members telescopically intercalated with freedom of relative axial displacement between predetermined limits, said members including an outer stick member, an inner stick member received in said outer stick member and a sleeve member surrounding said outer stick member; one stick member terminating at one end in a handle, the other stick member being provided near its opposite end with a crown and being displaceable in the direction of said crown from a stick-foreshortening position in telescopic alignment with said one stick member into a stick-extending position beyond said one stick member; a plurality of ribs hinged to said crown for swinging motion in respective axial planes of said members between a closure position substantially parallel to said members and a spread position at an angle of inclination greater than 45 with respect to said members; a plurality of struts each articulated at one end to a respective rib and at the other end to said sleeve member, said struts being so dimensioned and disposed as to maintain said ribs in said closureposition upon said sleeve member telescopically registering with said one `stick member while said stick members are in said stick-extending position, said ribs assuming said spread position upon telescopic alignment of said sleeve member with said other stick member; releasable catch means on at least one of said members for maintaining all of said members in a predetermined relative position in which said sleeve member is in telescopic alignment with at least said other stick member whereby said ribs occupy said spread position; and spring means effective upon the release of said catch means to displace at least said sleeve member relatively to said other stick member in a direction away from said crown from their position of telescopic alignment whereby said ribs are swung into their closure position.

2. A frame for an umbrella of the self-closing type, comprising three substantially coextensive elongated members telescopically intercalated with freedom of relative axial displacement between predetermined limits, said members including a tubular outer stick member, an inner stick member received in said outer stick member and a sleeve member surrounding said outer stick member; said outer stick member terminating at one end in a handle, said inner stick member being provided near its opposite end with a crown and being displaceable in the direction of said crown from a stick-foreshortening position in telescopic alignment with said outer stick member into a stick-extending position beyond said outer stick member; a plurality of ribs hinged to said crown for swinging motion in respective axial planes of said members between a closure position substantially parallel to said members and a spread position at an angle of inclination greater than 45 with respect t0 said members; a plurality of struts each articulated at one end to a respective rib and at the other end to said sleeve member, said struts being so dimensioned and disposed as to maintain said ribs in said closure position upon said sleeve member telescopically registering with said outer stick member while said stick members are in said stick-extending position, said ribs assuming said spreadv position upon telescopic alignment of said sleeve member with said inner stick member; releasable catch means on at least one of said members for maintaining all of said members in a predetermined relative position in which said sleeve member is in telescopic alignment with at least said inner stick member whereby said ribs occupy said spread position; and spring means eiective upon the release of said catch means to displace at least said sleeve member relatively to said inner stick member in a direction away from said crown fromv their position of telescopic alignment whereby said ribs are swung into their closure position.

3. An umbrella frame according to claim 2 wherein said inner stick member has a tubular end remote from said crown provided with a peripheral slot, said catch means including a pawl anchored in said inner stick member in alignment with said slot and resilient means urging said pawl outwardly through said slot, said outer stick member having an opening alignable with said pawl in said stick-extending position, thereby enabling said pawl to project outwardly through said slot and said opening, said sleeve member having an edge engageable by the so projecting pawl for maintaining said ribs in their spread position, said spring means being so connected with said inner stick member and said sleeve member as to urge the latter into Contact with said pawl.

4. An umbrella frame according to claim 2 wherein said inner stick member is tubular, said outer stick member being provided with a rod anchored to it and extending into the interior of said inner stick member, said spring means being disposed in said inner stick member and bearing upon said rod.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 213,659 Israei Mar. 25, 1879 601,096 Hager Mar. 22, 1898 620,504 Rosenholz et a1. Feb. 28, 1899 880,427 Thedorf Feb. 25, 1908 1,282,387 Del Re Oct. 22, 1918 1,908,210 Adler etal May 9, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,962 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1896 1,027,243 France Feb. l1, 1953 

